Tower Street Ward

The firſt Warde in the Eaſt parte of this cittie within the wall, is called
Towerſtreete Ward, and extendeth
along the riuer of Thames from the ſaid Tower in the Eaſt, almoſt to Belinſgate in the Weſt: One halfe of the Tower, the ditch on the Weſt ſide, and bulwarkes
adioyning do ſtand within that parte, where the wall of the cittie of old
time went ſtraight from the Poſterne
gate ſouth to the riuer of Thames, before that the Tower was builded. From and without the Tower ditch
Weſt and by North, is the ſaide Tower
hill, ſometime a large plot of ground, now greatly ſtreightned by
incrochmentes, (unlawfully made and ſuffered) for Gardens and Houſes, ſome
on the Banke of the Tower ditch, whereby the Tower ditch is marred, but more
neare unto the all of the cittie from the Poſterne North till ouer againſt the principall foregate of the
Lord Lumleyes houſe, &c.
but the Tower Warde goeth no further
that way.

Upon this Hill is alwayes readily prepared at the charges of the cittie a
large Scaffolde and Gallowes of Timber, for the execution of ſuch Traytors
or Tranſgreſſors, as are deliuered out of the Tower, or otherwiſe to the Shiriffes of London by
writ there to be executed. I read that in the fift of king Edwarde the fourth a ſcaffold and gallowes was
there ſet up by other the kinges Officers, and not of the Citties charges,
whereupon the Mayor and his Brethren complayned, but were aunſwered by the
king that the Tower hill, was of the
libertie of the cittie: And whatſoeuer was done in that point, was not in
derogation of the cities Liberties, and therefore commaunded Proclamation to
bee made, aſwell within the Citie as in the Suburbes, as followeth: For as
much as the ſeauenth day of this
preſent Moneth of Nouember, Gallowes were erect and ſet uppe
beſides our Tower of London, within
the liberties and franchiſes of our cittie of London, in derogation and
preiudice of the liberties and franchiſes of this cittie, The king our
ſoueraigne Lord would it bee certainely underſtood that the erection and
ſetting up the ſaid Gallowes bee not any preſident or example thereby
hereafter to be taken, in hurte, preiudice or derogation of the franchiſes,
liberties, & priuiledges, of the ſaide cittie, which hee at all
times hath had, & hath in his beneuolence, tender fauour and good
grace, &c. Apud Weſtminſt. 9. die Nouemb. Anno regni noſtri quinto. In
the North ſide of this hill, is the ſaide Lord Lumleyes houſe, and on the
weſt ſide diuers houſes lately builded, and other incrochmentes along ſouth
to Chicke lane, on the eaſt of
Barking church, at the end whereof you haue Tower Street ſtretching from the Tower hill, weſt to St. Margaret Pattens church Parſonage. […]

Then haue yee out of Towerſtreete,
alſo on the North ſide, one other lane, called Marte lane, which runneth up towardes the North,
and is for the moſt parte of this Towerſtreet warde, which lane is about the thirde quarter thereof
deuided, from Aldgate ward, by a
chaine to bee drawn, thwart the ſaide lane aboue the weſt ende of Harte ſtreete. Cokedon hall, ſometime
at the South weſt end of Marte lane
I reade of.

In Tower ſtreete, betweene Hart lane, and Church lane, was a
quadrant called Galley row, becauſe
Galley men dwelled there. Then haue ye two lanes out of Tower ſtreete, both called Churchlanes, becauſe one
runneth downe by the Eaſt ende of Saint
Dunſtans Church, and the other by the weſt ende of the ſame: out
of the weſt lane, turneth another lane, weſt toward S. Marie Hill, and is called Fowle lane, which is for the moſt part of Tower ſtreete warde.

This Church of Saint Dunſtone in
called in the Eaſt, for difference from one other of the ſame name in the
weſt: it is a fayre and large Church of an auncient building, and within a
large Churchyarde: it hath a great pariſh of many rich Marchants, and other
occupiers of diuerſe trades, namely Saltars and Ironmongers. […]

Now for the two Church lanes, they meeting on the Southſide of this Church
and Churchyarde, doe ioyne in one: and running downe to the Thames ſtreete: the ſame is called
Saint Dunſtans hill, at the
lower ende whereof the ſayd Thames
ſtreete towards the weſt on both ſides almoſt to Belins gate, but towardes the Eaſt up to the water gate, by the Bulwarke of the
tower, is all of tower ſtreete
warde. In this ſtreete on the Thames ſide are diuers large landing
places called wharffes, or keyes, for Cranage up of wares and Marchandiſe,
as alſo for ſhipping of wares from thence to be tranſported. Theſe wharffes
and keyes commonly beare the names of their owners, and are therefore
changeable. […]

Neare unto this Cuſtomers key
towardes the Eaſt, is the ſayd watergate, and weſt from it Porters key, then Galley key, where the
Gallies were uſed to unlade, and land their marchandizes and wares: and that
part of Thames ſtreete, was
therefore of ſome called Galley Row,
but more commonly petty Wales.